Loxapine versus olanzapine in the treatment of delirium following traumatic brain injury

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Krieger, Deborah^a | Hansen, Keith^b | McDermott, Colleen^c | Matthews, Roy^b | Mitchell, Rachel^b | Bollegala, Natasha^b | Bhalerao, Shree^{b; *}

Affiliations: [a] University of Alberta Medical School, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada | [b] St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada | [c] University of Toronto Medical School, Toronto, ON, Canada

Correspondence: [*] Address for correspondence: Dr. Shree Bhalerao, Medical-Psychiatry Services, St. Michael's Hospital, 30 Bond St, 17-046 Victoria Wing, Toronto, ON, Canada, M5B 1W8. Tel.: +1 416 864 5320; Fax: +1 416 864 5793; E-mail: bhaleraos@smh.toronto.on.ca

Abstract: The use of typical neuroleptics has always been the mainstay of treatment for delirium following traumatic brain injury (TBI). Given the recent application of atypical neuroleptics to various psychiatric conditions formerly treated with typical neuroleptics, one questions whether this new class of drugs is superior to its predecessor in treating delirium post-TBI. We present a case of one patient with TBI-induced delirium where in fact the use of the typical mid-potency neuroleptic, loxapine, appeared to have a better clinical effect over the atypical neuroleptic, olanzapine.

Keywords: delirium, brain injury, neuroleptic, loxapine, olanzapine

DOI: 10.3233/NRE-2003-18304

Journal: NeuroRehabilitation, vol. 18, no. 3, pp. 205-208, 2003